Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 397 The Final Battle of the Main Forces: The Might of the Dragon Knights

As all the steel torrents converged from below Stromgarde, an unprecedentedly large legion of nearly seven thousand men was formed!
The moment this massive army appeared on the plains, it brought everyone an unparalleled sense of awe and a striking sense of fantasy.

Su Li rode Ariria through the air, the dragon's wings sweeping over the massive army formation. Looking down at this enormous legion, he felt as if he were riding a golden chariot and his spirit was as fierce as a tiger that could swallow ten thousand miles!

Within this legion, the Blackforest Knights, led by half-griffin knights, formed the core and the vanguard. Their warhorses were clad in fine horse armor, while the knights themselves were encased in gleaming, gilded plate armor, revealing only their cold, stern eyes. Long spears stood like a forest, pointing skyward, their heavy shields adorned with the family's emblem of intertwined sword and hammer, a bauhinia flower. As they spurred their horses to a trot, the heavy hooves thundered incessantly, and the metal plates of their armor clashed and clattered against each other with a chilling "clatter—clatter—" sound, like a moving, breathing wall of steel.

At the center of the human ranks marched the awe-inspiring ogre mercenaries. These colossal figures were clad in crude, specially crafted heavy armor made of thick steel plates, resembling mobile siege towers. They wielded massive iron-clad clubs, terrifying double-edged battle axes, or heavy bone-crushing hammers, their heavy breathing rumbling like bellows beneath their helmets. With each heavy step, the earth seemed to tremble slightly. The rough skin peeking through the gaps in their armor and the occasional low growls they emitted infused the steel torrent with a primal and ferocious savage power.

The main force of the infantry phalanx was undoubtedly the dwarven warriors. They formed a tight square, their armor thicker and heavier than that of humans, the forging at the joints exquisite, gleaming with the deep luster unique to fine steel. Unlike humans, who favored gilded armor, their armor was heavier and more understated, and their massive tower shields almost completely covered their bodies, the shield surfaces tightly joined to form an impenetrable metal wall. Long-handled battle axes or heavy warhammers protruded from the gaps in the shields, their cold light gleaming. Their steps were steady and uniform, the only sounds being the heavy "thump! thump! thump!" of their footsteps and the low hum of metal scraping together, silent yet resolute, representing unparalleled defense and devastating offensive power.

Finally, there was the entire legion's war machine force. The halflings unleashed dozens of heavy harvesters and plows, which they called "Wheat Field Reapers" and "Iron Thorns." These halfling farm implements, after war modifications, would become steel behemoths on the battlefield. They possessed sturdy metal chassis, pulled by numerous heavy war rams, emitting the clatter of gears turning. At the front of the vehicles were several rows of massive, rapidly rotating, gleaming scythes, instantly shredding any infantry or lightly armored units that attempted to obstruct them. The halfling technicians operating them wore goggles, tense yet excited as they controlled these terrifying machines that brought devastating harvests.

When this massive army, a blend of human discipline, ogre brute strength, dwarf resilience, and halfling prowess, began its all-out advance along the main road toward Blue Mirror Lake, the scene was truly earth-shattering.

Thousands of armored iron feet (including the massive soles of ogres) stomped down simultaneously, the earth groaning, the dull thuds coalescing into a continuous, deep rumble that pierced the very soul. The armor of the knights and their warhorses clashed against each other, like countless blacksmiths striking anvils at once, creating a magnificent storm of metal.

Dust billowed from countless footsteps, hooves, and wheels, forming a colossal, sky-obscuring dragon of smoke that surged forward alongside the legion. Sunlight shone upon this moving forest of steel, reflecting a cold, blinding, and relentless gleam. Armor, weapons, the metal components of siege engines, the sickles of harvesters… everything gleamed, proclaiming the ruthless will and destructive power of the Blackseth's war machine. Its sheer scale was enough to terrify distant enemies and make the very ground tremble.

The army advanced far faster than Blue Mirror Territory had anticipated. Marshal Erstein, with his characteristic swiftness and decisiveness, abandoned unnecessary probing and harassment, heading straight for the core of Blue Mirror Lake with a clear objective.

When the vanguard cavalry of the Blacksem Territory appeared at the edge of the plain on the western shore of Blue Mirror Lake, a mournful alarm blared from the walls of Blue Mirror Fortress. The once tranquil and beautiful Blue Mirror Lake was now completely shrouded in the shadow of war.

The army was arrayed on the north shore of Blue Mirror Lake, and Marshal Erstein chose a wide, firm, gentle slope to set up camp. Here, it was backed by low hills, flanked by sparse woodlands, and had an unobstructed view overlooking the entire Blue Mirror Lake and Blue Mirror Castle standing on the north shore.

Nearly seven thousand elite infantry and cavalry quickly deployed, constructing a formidable fortification. At the center were three massive, steel-forest-like heavy infantry squares, their shields like walls and spears like forests, forming an unshakeable mainstay. Their dwarven plate armor reflected a cold, sharp light under the summer sun.

The two flanks were cavalry groups. The left flank consisted mainly of shock cavalry, like a heavy hammer ready to strike; the right flank was made up of more agile light cavalry, responsible for covering the flanks and pursuing the enemy.

Behind the lines were long-range firing positions. A large number of crossbowmen and musketeers stood in rows, bows strung and matchlocks lit. Dwarven engineers directed soldiers as they busily assembled heavy ballistae and mortars, their massive muzzles menacingly pointed towards the distant castle and the shallows of the lake.

The reserve force and the command center personally overseen by Hilde were located at the highest point of the gentle slope, where the battle flags bearing the imperial double-headed eagle and the bauhinia emblem of the Black Forest territory fluttered in the wind.

The appearance of this massive army caused panic on the walls of Blue Mirror Fortress. The defending soldiers, pale-faced, stared at the Blacksene army that stretched across the plains like an iron torrent. The fortress itself was sturdy, but the demoralized defenders, having suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Stromgarde, were far outnumbered by the ferocious army outside. What terrified them even more was that the Blacksene army was significantly larger than before!

In previous wars, the Hessian Territory would only send out a little over a thousand people each time, and at most no more than 2000.

Despite this, Blue Mirror Territory suffered defeat after defeat. First, it lost the formidable Stromgarde, and then the Blacksene army swept through the northern and southern flanks of Blue Mirror Territory.

Now, the enemy has not only expanded its army, but has also received assistance from the dwarves, deploying nearly 7000 elite infantry and cavalry at once!
How could the defenders not be terrified? They simply couldn't think of any possibility of winning.

Meanwhile, Su Li, unabashedly riding dragons and griffins with his marshals and generals, flew through the air, carefully surveying the terrain of the battlefield.

The most important thing is naturally this lake in Blue Mirror Territory, where the Green Knights are the most crucial factor influencing this battle.

The lake was far from calm. Gone was its usual mirror-like blue beauty; instead, in the shallower areas near the castle, the water had taken on an eerie, viscous green hue. Strange bubbles churned on the surface, and vaguely visible, massive, inhuman silhouettes moved slowly beneath the surface. A chilling, deathly wind and an ancient, desolate aura, even from a distance, subtly weighed on the nerves of every Blackwood Territory soldier on the lakeshore. This was the Green Knights, the "Oath of the Knights," forcibly bound here. They excelled in deep-water combat. If the Blue Mirror Territory, in conjunction with their Mannan magic, unleashed towering waves that flooded the plains, the Green Knights, harnessing the power of the water, would become a devastating force.

Marshal Erstein, draped in a heavy marshal's cloak, sat astride his griffin, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over his own disciplined army, across the shimmering lake, and finally settling on the Blue Mirror Castle perched on the cliff.

"My lord, Baron Grant deliberately chose this battlefield to defend Blue Mirror Castle. It's certain that they will unleash Mannan's divine magic again in this battle, turning the lakeside plains into a swamp with giant waves."

This was something everyone could have predicted. Fighting against Blue Mirror Territory would inevitably involve Mannan's influence, and fighting amidst towering waves would be the most prominent feature of this battle.

Su Li was also grateful that he had obtained a sacred relic of glory, the Eye of the Drowned, during his war with the Broken Toe Tribe. Of course, Su Li now named it the Water-Repelling Pearl. This should also be a sacred relic of the Mannan Church, which is why it gave Su Li such great assistance in the last battle, allowing the elite knights of the Black Forest Territory to ride the waves and ignore the giant waves caused by the Mannan Church, and wipe out a large number of knights from the Blue Mirror Territory and the Black Lynx Knights in one fell swoop.

Otherwise, in this battle beneath Blue Mirror Fortress, facing over 5000 elite infantry and cavalry from Blue Mirror Territory, plus an unknown number of at least several thousand Green Knights at the bottom of the lake, it would be difficult for Black Forest Territory to win!

This also shows that every force that can establish itself in the border princely territory has a very deep foundation; otherwise, it would perish at the slightest storm.

Blue Mirror Territory may be slightly lacking in the ability to attack Black Forest Territory, but defending this territory would definitely be a big problem for Su Li.

Su Li gazed at the turbulent lake in the distance, patted the neck of the dragon he was riding, Ariria, took a deep breath, and said, "My darling, this battle depends on you! I'm entrusting the Water-Repelling Pearl to you; you must hold on until we completely defeat the enemy!"

The use of holy relics always comes at a huge cost.

The water-repelling bead is relatively inexpensive, but it will still consume a lot of the user's stamina.

In this battle, Su Li planned to spare no expense and go all in, using all the Glorious Relics at once, so that he wouldn't be able to hold all the relics at the same time.

Therefore, he planned to activate the Wind Wings rune himself, so that the gale, along with his own flames, would completely sweep across the battlefield and suppress the surging waves.

Su Li then handed the Water-Repelling Pearl to Eliria. This relic of glory had the greatest impact in this battle, and it could even be said that its duration determined the outcome of the entire battle!
Therefore, Su Li needed to find someone with the most abundant physical strength and vitality to use this sacred relic of glory. Ariria was one of the most suitable candidates; she was a green dragon herself, and had long slumbered in the eye of the Gaelin Wind on the Blessed Wisteria Tree, absorbing countless amounts of life energy. In terms of sheer vitality, even the Chosen Knight Hilder might not be able to compare to her.

Ariria raised her long, slender dragon neck in the air, opened her massive maw, and let out a deafening roar, responding to Su Li's instructions. This powerful roar echoed through the air, instantly marking the beginning of this crucial battle!
The castle's defenders covered their ears to shield themselves from the terrifying dragon roar that was like a shockwave.

Baron Grant, his eyes bloodshot, stared intently at Su Li, who was flying in the air surrounded by a large number of griffin knights, from the city wall. He roared angrily, "Su Li, do you think you have victory in your grasp? Today I will make you die at the bottom of Blue Mirror Lake!"

Su Li gave a light snort and replied, "Not bad. You have more backbone than I thought, and you didn't hysterically question me about why I invaded Blue Mirror Territory. Since you've come to terms with reality, there's no point in saying more. Let's settle this on the battlefield!"

Having said that, he casually waved his hand, and the giant dragon suddenly drew an elegant arc in the air, sweeping past the fluttering banners above the army formation. The gale stirred up boundless pride and ambition among the soldiers, and then Su Li's resounding voice echoed across the battlefield: "All troops, attack! For glory!"

"For glory!"

"For glory!"

"For glory!"

Su Li's roar was like the fuse that lit a powder keg, instantly igniting the fighting spirit of the entire Black Forest Legion. The thunderous battle cries converged into a tangible sound wave, even overwhelming the churning of the lake water, echoing across the lake and causing the hearts of the defending soldiers to tremble violently.

Then, the massive torrent of steel roared into action.

First to move were the halfling war machines at the front of the legion. Dozens of "Wheatfield Reapers" and "Iron Thorns," emitting a sickeningly loud grinding sound, began to roll forward, pulled by a large number of heavy battle rams. The heavy metal chassis rolled over the ground, leaving deep ruts. The huge scythes spinning at high speed at the front of the vehicles emitted a piercing "whoosh—" sound, flashing with a cold light like the fangs of death. Their objective was clear—to clear all obstacles leading to the open area in front of the castle, whether it be chevaux-de-frise, palisades, or any enemy troops that dared to meet them, clearing the way for the advance of the infantry and cavalry behind.

Immediately afterward, the ground began to tremble violently. It was the advance of the dwarven heavy armor phalanx! Accompanied by heavy, muffled thunderous footsteps, the three massive steel fortresses formed by the dwarven warriors began to move forward. The enormous shield towers were tightly linked, forming a virtually impenetrable moving metal wall. Long-handled battleaxes and heavy warhammers protruding from the gaps in the shields gleamed with a deadly cold light. Their steps were firm and unstoppable, each step causing the earth to groan, resolutely pressing towards the shallows of the lake shore, their target Blue Mirror Fortress.

"For Blackforest! For the Lord!" The roar of the human knights shook the heavens and earth. With the half-griffin knights as their spearhead, the Blackforest knightly order surged forward like a dam bursting, an unstoppable torrent of steel! Thousands of armored warhorses began to accelerate, their heavy hooves thundering across the earth. The knights lowered their bodies, their gilded plate armor reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight, like countless moving golden suns. Their lances were leveled, forming a forest of death, pointing directly at the castle and shallows ahead. The dust kicked up by the hooves instantly billowed out, merging with the dust kicked up by the halfling machines and dwarven phalanx, forming a sandstorm that blotted out the sky, rolling towards Blue Mirror Castle!
The ogre mercenaries roared deafeningly, striding forward with heavy steps, either flanking the knights or acting as a second shockwave. Their heavy weapons whistled through the air, creating terrifying gusts of wind, and their heavy footsteps made the ground tremble; primal brute force and a torrent of steel merged into one.

Baron Grant's performance deserved the praise of a worthy opponent.

Although he was at his wit's end, he did not defend Blue Mirror Fortress to the death. Instead, he led his legion to take the initiative and line up on the high ground on the east bank of Blue Mirror Fortress, looking down at the Black Forest army that was charging upwards.

This was the last 2000 troops he had mustered after his defeat at Stromgarde, who had exhausted all his resources. Some were his fervent supporters from the Church of Mannnan, while others were his last bit of support from other nobles with vested interests and high sunk costs. Of course, the majority of his troops were his conscripted citizens and mercenaries.

At this moment, Baron Grant no longer considered interests or reputation. In this critical moment of life and death, he had only one thought in his mind: to win!
So he led his troops out of the city gate and lined up below the city wall. This was not only because there were indeed no fewer than 2000 men inside the castle, but also so that after the Green Knights opened a gap in the enemy's defenses and gained the upper hand, he could immediately lead his troops to support them, expand their advantage, and thus secure victory in one fell swoop.

As for what would happen if the Green Knights lost, he hadn't considered it at all, nor would he! Because if they lost, he would only face death. Even if he cowered inside the castle, he wouldn't survive. Rather than be captured in a humiliating and cowardly manner, stabbed to death by a bunch of lowly commoners, he would rather go out into the city and fight to the death. Therefore, all his plans were arranged from the perspective of the Green Knights winning; only by winning could he survive!
To defeat such an enemy who has been brainwashed by knowledge, only a massive, overwhelming force can shatter all their illusions.

Therefore, Su Li decisively launched a fierce attack, as he could not afford to lose this battle! Thus, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Su Li directly rode the giant dragon and charged towards the Blue Mirror Fortress highlands.

Like a dark green comet, Arielia tore through the smoke and moisture that filled the air above the battlefield, and with overwhelming force, she swooped down towards the high ground on the east bank of Blue Mirror Fortress!

"A dragon! It's that dragon! It's charging at us!"

The dragon knight's oppressive aura was unparalleled, and screams of terror erupted from the high ground lines. The soldiers instinctively looked up, and a massive shadow instantly enveloped them. The chilling dragon's might struck like a tangible hammer, slamming into their hearts. The poorly trained conscripts and mercenaries crumbled instantly; many dropped their weapons, instinctively covering their heads and cowering in fear, causing a fatal shift in their formation.

Arielia flapped her enormous dragon wings, whipping up a violent hurricane that made the flags on the high ground flutter wildly, almost overturning the soldiers in the front ranks. Her long, slender dragon neck was raised high, her emerald green vertical pupils locking onto the dense crowd below, and a destructive light was brewing deep in her throat.

"Hold your ground! Shields up! Spearmen! Aim for the sky!" Baron Grant roared hoarsely, trying to regain his footing. Several officers, who were still relatively calm, brandished their swords, forcing the soldiers to raise their spears and shields, forming a sparse steel thorn that attempted to stop the dragon.

However, in the face of a true dragon, the resistance of mortals appears so pale and laughable!

Arielia swooped down, and at a height of less than a hundred feet from the high ground lines, she opened her enormous maw, big enough to swallow a carriage whole!

"call--!!!"

It wasn't a blazing inferno, but a green dragon attack imbued with terrifying heat and strong corrosiveness! A viscous, churning torrent of ghastly green liquid, exuding the pungent smell of sulfur and rotting plants, cascaded down like a waterfall, precisely covering the area where several officers were located and the square formation behind them that was attempting to assemble!
Tsk-!
A horrifying scene unfolded! The ghastly green breath touched the raised shields and armor, and the metal instantly emitted a piercing sound as if corroded by a potent acid, billowing white smoke, rapidly becoming pitted and even melting! Upon contact with flesh and blood, it was like scalding hot asphalt being poured on! The soldiers didn't even have time to scream; their skin and muscles rapidly dissolved and carbonized under the terrifying heat and poison!
The sturdy shield wall crumbled like paper under the breath, and the covered area instantly turned into a scorching, bubbling inferno! Limbs and torsos were faintly visible in the viscous poisonous mist, and soldiers who were lucky enough to escape direct hits were burned by the high-temperature steam, writhing on the ground in agony, emitting inhuman howls! With just one breath, several small defensive nodes carefully organized by the highland defenders and dozens of soldiers were reduced to ashes by this devastating attack!
After exhaling, Eliria's massive body didn't stop, slamming into the center of the highland defenders' formation like a meteorite! The physical trampling had begun!

boom! ! !
The earth trembled violently! A massive dragon claw descended, its feet, covered in hard scales, like a battering ram, easily crushing the soldiers below, shields and all, into a bloody pulp! The sturdy plate armor twisted and deformed under the dragon's claws, emitting a sickening metallic groan. The thick dragon tail swept out with a mighty slam, like a giant battering ram sweeping across the battlefield! Soldiers blocking its path were like puppets struck by a catapult, their bones snapped, blood gushing from their mouths, violently flung away by the force, crashing into hordes of their comrades behind them! Each flap of the massive dragon wings unleashed a violent gust of wind, blowing any soldiers attempting to approach wildly, shattering their formation completely!

Su Li stood firmly on the dragon saddle, the rare warhammer in his hand, the Skullbreaker, shining with a blazing red light. Each swing violently smashed away the brave (or rather, foolish) soldiers who tried to attack Ariria's vulnerable parts with spears or crossbow bolts.

Arielia rampaged through the enemy ranks, leaving a trail of blood and gore in her wake, her screams deafening! The sturdy infantry phalanx was like a paper toy before her, easily torn apart, crushed, and trampled! The soldiers' courage crumbled rapidly in the face of her absolute power and terrifying dragon might.

"Devil! It's the devil!"

"Run! Run!"

"It's impossible to stop them!"

Panic spread like wildfire. The area ravaged by the dragon became a slaughterhouse. The soldiers who survived lost all will to fight, abandoning their armor and weapons, and fleeing in terror towards the castle, wishing they had more legs. Their rout overwhelmed the reserves, and the entire highland defense line crumbled before their very eyes under the dragon's devastating onslaught!

The royal knight Edgar, covered in blood, retreated to Baron Grant's side and roared in despair, "My lord, we must call for reinforcements immediately! This hastily assembled force has too low morale and willpower; it is simply no match for the enemy's overwhelming force. They are strolling through the palace, defeating us without expending any energy at all."

(End of this chapter)